CT Construction Digest Tuesday June 30, 2020

Appropriations Committee

 Informational Hearing on the Fiscal Impact of COVID-19 on the Department of Transportation Budget

 AGENDA

 Monday, June 29, 2020 1:00 PM via Zoom Video Conference

1. CONVENE INFORMATIONAL HEARING
2. REMARKS BY THE CHAIRS AND RANKING MEMBERS
3. PANELISTS

 

1. Joseph Giulietti, Commissioner, DOT
2. Mark Rolfe, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer, DOT
3. Garrett Eucalitto, Deputy Commissioner, DOT
4. Scott Hill, Bureau Chief - Engineering and Construction, DOT
5. Bob Card, Bureau Chief - Finance and Administration, DOT
6. Paul Rizzo, Bureau Chief - Highway Operations, DOT
7. Rich Andreski, Bureau Chief - Public Transportation, DOT
8. Tom Maziarz, Bureau Chief - Policy & Planning, DOT
9. Jackie Primeau, Chief of Staff, DOT
10. Gary Pescosolido, Finance and Administration, DOT
11. Lori Kiniry, Finance and Administration, DOT
12. Darren Meyers, Finance and Administration, DOT
13. Maureen Kent, Finance and Administration, DOT
14. Alicia Leite, Legislative Liaison, DOT
15. Pam Sucato, Director of Government Relations and Policy Coordination, DOT

 

Questions:

 

●       Crew sizes

○       Returned to full sized crews this week

●       Projects- have they been completed on time?

○       Have not experienced many delays

○       Saw initial delays but were able to make up for lost time

●       Construction

○       Supply chain issues have caused the few delays

●       Traffic

○       50-60% traffic

○       Has allowed to ramp up projects

●       Municipal projects

○       Going as scheduled

●       Federal funds

○       $488m has come from CARES Act

○       Money is for reimbursement and transit operations due (lost ridership) to COVID

○       Will not impact the STF

○       Municipalities are not eligible but regional transit districts are as direct applicants

●       Legislation to help reduce cost to DOT

○       FAST Act- bus route system certificates need to be reassessed- needs a legislative fix after court ruling

○       Requesting speed cameras to assist state police

●       Vacancies at DOT

○       343 vacant positions

■       271 currently being filled

●       Remote v essential staffing

○       All garages fully staffed

○       Remote staffing has been a tremendous success and has not made an impact on work production

○       1500 working in field v 1400 approved for telework

●       Bus routes

○       Down 50% of ridership at peak (late April)

○       Looking at the data as it relates to equity analysis of bus ridership

●       COVID funding to Hartford Line

○       Considered a high speed rail line- not eligible for COVID funding

○       Has been a success- asking the federal delegation for help in designation to receive funding

●       Health and forecast of STF- union raises

○       Working with OPM

○       Not in a position to comment on the health of STF and how the federal money has impacted it

●       Impact on FY 20 and FY 21 budget

○       FY 20- no deficiency bill necessary

○       FY 21- will be tough but will be OK

○       Need a serious conversation regarding project funding moving forward (beyond FY 21)

●       Long term effects on daily travel (more people working from home, fewer people on roads, mass transit implications)

○       Have been looking at other states- MA down to 5% of rail ridership- watching the patterns and will create new schedule based off of projections

○       If reopening is not successful it will create more issues projecting forward

○       DOT able to collect data and see travel as similar to pre-pandemic levels of travel

●       Pending raises and impact to DOT

○       Active discussion

○       Budget covers the program raises

●       Metro-North Ridership- concerns over social distancing

○       In daily conversation- doing active counts on ridership

○       Overcrowding has been misrepresented

○       Authorized Metro-North to have trains on standby and increase cars for holiday weekend

○       Need to continue to monitor but confident there is not overcrowding

○       Currently required to report any train that is over 30% capacity- 0 reports

●       Federal funding/general funding available for operations of rail

○       Funds go to alleviate lost revenue due to ridership due to COVID

○       Will need a further conversation to the long term effects that the state will have to fund

○       Still have a significant portion of funds to apply for

●       Capital projects- 7 to 15 interchange, Talmadge Hill and New Canaan branch line

○       Interchange still moving forward- Governor still needs to release funds

○       Branch line projects moving forward- high speed study needs funding ($1m needs bonding or approps action)

●       Tree removal

○       Has continued- reduced staffing reduced production

●       Capital projects (top 5) if there is a federal government infrastructure package

○       DOT has a package if federal government produces a stimulus bill

○       Would increase projects by 50%

○       Projects would be similar to those listed in the Governor’s toll plan

○       Will be basing priorities based off of evolving needs

 

 ADJOURNMENT

 

Eversource Gas will be paving, repairing trenches
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL – Eversource Gas will be paving to repair their trenches on Ronzo Road starting this week and then move on to pave Birch Street during the week of July 6.

“We like to give notice on these projects so residents can anticipate the delays and one lane alternating traffic and adjust their schedules accordingly,” said City Council member Mary Fortier who represents Council District 3, where the work is being proposed.
Birch Street will have some temporary closures, because they will be doing an entire lane between Redstone Hill and Pine Street. Ronzo Road, which is wide enough, will be open during paving.
“We also want to remind people that there may be changes to the schedule due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions,” said Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu.
Zoppo-Sassu also advised residents to maintain a safe speed when driving in the vicinity to ensure the safety of the workers and other drivers.
While it is an Eversource project, the city will be monitoring the work. Questions or concerns about the project can be directed to the Public Works Engineering Division at 860-584-6125.
The Public Works Department has released its schedule for the 2020 summer paving program which will be completed in two phases.
“The initial phase consists of milling off the existing bituminous pavement of the road. The second phase consists of installing a new bituminous roadway surface and will start shortly after the first phase,” said City Engineer Nancy Levesque. “Once construction is complete, the city will repair any affected driveway aprons,” Levesque said.
The paving program will begin Monday, July 6. As part of the program, the following streets will be milled and then resurfaced:
Brewster Road (Queen Street to Rotary), Magnolia Avenue, Geary Avenue, Vanderbilt Road, Round Hill Road, Rogers Road, Main Street (South Street to Memorial Boulevard), Redstone Street, Tulip Street (Park Street to Divinity Street), Willow Brook Road.
“There may be minor traffic delays during construction, however roads will remain open for mail delivery, emergency vehicles, and local traffic at all times,” said Zoppo-Sassu. “Temporary ‘No Parking’ signs will be posted as needed during construction.”

A Marshall Plan for infrastructure can boost New England’s economy
James T. Brett
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted not only the physical health of almost 2 million Americans, but also the economic well-being of our region and nation.
Congress has enacted several massive legislative packages to help tackle coronavirus, assist struggling businesses and reinvigorate the economy. Still, more must be done.
One bold step that Congress could take to spur economic growth already has support from Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill as well as the White House: a major federal infrastructure investment package, which would provide tremendous benefits to the nation and our region.
As Washington considers such an investment, it is important that our elected officials take a broad view of what constitutes infrastructure. Traditionally, when we talk about infrastructure, the first thing that comes to mind is our transportation infrastructure, which all would agree needs repairs and modernization.

Indeed, House leaders recently crafted a legislative framework that includes such improvements to the traditional components of America’s surface transportation programs.

We all know our region’s roads and bridges are in rough shape. In fact, recent data shows that 8.4% of our bridges are structurally deficient, above the national average of 7.5%. Also, our roadways must be improved to accommodate the increased traffic we’ve seen over the years, not just for carpools and individual drivers but also incentivize bus-rapid-transit.
Besides addressing road needs, years of mass transit maintenance backlogs require a substantial investment. Bolstering transit throughout our region will ensure greater access for commuters, decrease congestion and improve air quality. This holds true for Amtrak, particularly the Northeast Corridor, which must be upgraded.
Moreover, Congress should give serious thought to funding regional rail expansion to better connect our region and spark economic development beyond traditional hub centers. We appreciate that the recent House bill aims to tackle these surface transportation priorities.
Another traditional infrastructure mode is air travel, which will no doubt rebound and even hit new heights, necessitating airport upgrades and new construction to meet increased passenger loads. Similarly, growth in trade will dictate a need for on-shore facility capabilities and channels that can accommodate the vessels bringing goods to and from our ports.

However, as vital as our transportation infrastructure is, it is critical that our leaders in Washington take a broader view of what constitutes physical infrastructure.

If the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated one thing, it is that hospitals must be considered part of our national infrastructure and funds for the construction and renovation of hospitals are necessary to ensure we can manage future potential health crises in our communities.
Federal investments for physical and technological infrastructure on higher education campuses as well as for elementary and secondary schools will ensure a modern education system that can accommodate all students and prepare them for the jobs of the future.
Water infrastructure systems demand constant attention, whether for drinking water or wastewater treatment facilities.  Besides the need to meet new requirements for our growing region, aging systems — some approaching or surpassing a century old — need replacing as well.
Energy reliability is critical to our economy and for our overall way of life, and Washington must pursue modernization investments that will enable the grid to safely and reliably accommodate new clean energy resources that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Finally, given New England’s vibrant innovation economy, we must make investments in our “innovation infrastructure.”

Connectivity has proven vital to our economy — especially during this pandemic — and any major infrastructure investment must support and expedite the deployment of broadband that can accommodate telework, telehealth and remote learning needs across the region.
Further, support for America’s research infrastructure is necessary to cement our overall research capabilities and boost our competitiveness for years to come.
Also, whether it’s new construction or necessary upgrades, climate resiliency and cybersecurity protections must be fundamental additions to infrastructure components to guarantee the integrity of our investments.
Congress and the White House have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enact a bipartisan infrastructure plan that will create jobs, boost the economy and meet existing and anticipated infrastructure needs. Many have dubbed such an effort as a “Marshall Plan for Infrastructure” and that is clearly what the United States can and should accomplish in the wake of this pandemic.

Amid ‘lightning-in-a-bottle’ developments, East Windsor eyes 138 acres of historic farmland for future growth
Matt Pilon
There are a few types of developments that don’t come along often or ever for most towns, but East Windsor has two of them in the works.
The first — a joint casino proposed by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes — has been slowly plodding along through zoning entanglements, and will ultimately need further legislative approval.
The second, first reported this month by the Hartford Business Journal, is a 485-acre solar array planned on old gravel pits that would be the largest solar installation in the Northeastern United States. It still needs state Siting Council approval.
Combined, the two projects could generate an estimated $6 million a year in new local property taxes, an 18% increase over the town’s 2019 collections.
“Those lightning-in-a-bottle moments don’t come along very often,” said First Selectman Jason Bowsza. “You can’t sit back and wait for them.”
As he waits for further movement on the casino and solar projects, Bowsza said the town is pursuing other smaller and medium-scale developments when they make sense.
One target is a stretch of bucolic land on North Road/Route 140 that’s now for sale, after its longtime owner died last summer.
[Read more: HBJ examines developments in CT towns, cities]
East Windsor attorney Walter Bass Jr. had many plans over the years for 138 acres of historic farmland that surrounded his family home and spanned to the west on the far side of North Road, where his office was also located, in nearby Bassdale Plaza, which was developed by his father, the late Walter Bass Sr.

Over the decades, some of those plans, like a driving range, mini golf course and ice cream shop, became a reality. Others, like an 18-hole golf course and bowling alley, did not. The younger Bass won local approval for a 20-unit condo development more than five years ago, but the project has not been built.

Bass died unexpectedly last August at age 68 after his heart stopped during a business meeting.
Now his family, led by daughter Caroline Bass, a 2004 UConn alum who has since moved to New York City and made a name for herself in the residential real estate market there, has put the five parcels on the market for $2.5 million (the purchase price could be less, if a buyer combines some of them in one deal).
Since listing the land in January through Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties, Bass said she has been in close contact with Bowsza, a high school classmate who is eager to do what he can to facilitate further growth of the town’s commercial tax base.
“It’s prime real estate,” Bowsza said of the parcels, which are less than two miles from I-91 and about 10 minutes from Bradley International Airport.

East Windsor also has a below-average mill rate of 34.25 and boasts plenty of sewer infrastructure.

“We could do the casino project three times with room to spare,” he said of the sewer plant’s 60% capacity.
Bowsza said the North Road parcels are zoned for commercial use and could be a good fit for mid-to-upscale retail, medical offices or luxury apartments.
“The market in general is not excited right now about office space, and with COVID-19 I think you will see more of that,” he said.
Bass said the listings have drawn a few serious nibbles. One party was interested in a solar development, while another was interested in the approved condo project that fronts nearby Winkler Road. The local permit expired last year, but there’s potential for someone to renew it, possibly with a denser layout and more units, since recent zoning changes would allow for it.
Caroline Bass said she was a bit surprised to see interest in the property during the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said has produced plenty of opportunistic offers in her own broker work in the city.
“In New York my buyers and sellers are getting low-ball offers left and right because they assume everybody is distressed,” she said.
She said the East Windsor tract’s location and price are both attractive, which could explain it.
Bowsza said he hopes the town is on the verge of a development wave. Besides the casino and solar projects, and the potential the Bass land presents, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union recently wrapped construction on a 25,000-square-foot training and office facility on Craftsman Road East, while construction of a 55-plus age-restricted, 122-unit apartment community called Water Mill Landing — developed by realty firm Calamar — remains ongoing.
There’s been lots of development in adjacent Enfield and South Windsor over the last decade or two, and now Bowsza hopes it’s East Windsor’s turn.

“We’re kind of that in between just waiting to pop,” he said.

 

 

CT Construction Digest Monday June 29, 2020

Construction begins at New Milford Public Library
NEW MILFORD — Library and town officials celebrated the start of the library modernization at a groundbreaking Friday afternoon.
Construction on the $8.5 million project is expected to last 18 months, but patrons will still be able to use the library’s services.
The project will create a mix of new spaces and repurposing existing areas to expand program and meeting spaces, especially for children and young adults. It will also make changes so the library is more accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Plainville kicks off new housing project
BRIAN M. JOHNSON
PLAINVILLE – Local leaders and legislators joined construction company By Carrier Friday, for a shovel dig ceremony at the site of the future Trumbull Meadows, a new home community.

By Carrier will be constructing 55 single family parcels and 22 carriage style homes at the site, located at the corner of Bradley Street and Camp Street. They will all offer town water, sewer and natural gas heating. The approval process began six months ago and the project includes giving 25 acres of open space to the town, located near the Middle School of Plainville.
Gayle Dennehy, broker of By Carrier Realty, pointed out that the company has constructed 300 to 400 homes in town.
“The location was very advantageous, with easy access to the highway,” she said. “We’re very excited about it.”
Sen. Henri Martin said that he grew up in a construction family and that he too was excited about the project.
“The adrenaline kicks in whenever I see construction vehicles moving earth,” he said. “This is a big undertaking and hopefully the demand is there once it is completed.”
Rep. Bill Petit also attended the shovel dig ceremony with his son William, who, like many children was excited by the sight of construction vehicles. He was quick to don a hardhat and put his shovel into the ground to help the adults.
Town Council Chair Kathy Pugliese said that By Carrier has “done a marvelous job” with past projects in town. She said that this parcel had been available for a long time and now was finally going to be repurposed.
“They are wonderful to work with and have been very involved in town,” said Pugliese. “They have a reputation for producing a perfect product.”
Town Manager Robert E. Lee said that it is “always good to see growth in the community.”
“By Carrier always builds quality projects,” he said. “This also allowed the town to pick up a significant amount of open space near the middle school.”
By Carrier will see 77 units built by the end of the year.
More information about this new Trumbull Meadows community will be announced this summer.

MAYOR'S COLUMN: New Britain staying busy with number of improvement projects
ERIN STEWART
As we head into the busy summer construction season, I thought it would be an ideal time to get you up to up to speed on all of the projects taking place over the next several months. COVID has not stopped our public works construction schedule.

For the last several months, work has been continuing on Phase VI of the Complete Streets Masterplan. This $3.6 million grant-funded project involves making road improvements along East Main Street between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Main Street. Milling and paving will take place on Myrtle Street between Main Street and Washington Street. In addition to the paving, work includes new landscaping, brick paver sidewalks, granite curbs, ADA upgrades and more. This project will continue into next year. Work on Myrtle Street is almost complete and the contractor has recently started on the East Main Street section of the project.
Work is also underway on Phase VII of the Complete Streets Masterplan, which includes the area around Columbus Boulevard near the Harry Truman overpass, the north side of Chestnut Street, between Elm Street and Columbus Boulevard and on Herald Square. The improvements are similar to Phase VI, with new granite curbing, paver sidewalks, paving, new signage and new trees.
The 2020 milling and paving program will begin July 12, with $2.2 million set aside for roadwork. Several streets including Columbus Boulevard, Kensington Avenue, Lincoln Street, Kelsey Street, Beaver Street, West Street and Shuttle Meadow Avenue will be paved. In all, 32 City streets, for a combined 7.7 miles, will be repaved by the end of the summer. Milling will begin July 12 and paving will start July 19, with the program running between six and eight weeks. Once the project begins, daily updates will be posted on our website www.newbritainct.gov under the public works section. Public works will also be doing crack sealing and trench repairs.
You may have noticed that there is a new traffic light at the intersection of Main Street and Lafayette Street, along with the replacement of some deteriorated walkways on Lafayette Street. The project was initiated to address pedestrian safety and congestion issues at this location. This intersection has had the most motor vehicle versus pedestrian incidents in the City and needed to be addressed.
At Stanley Quarter Park, work just wrapped up on the new playscape, walking path, pavilion and basketball courts. Public works also put in place a new entrance along Stanley Street. More work is to come as we work now on the pond dredging project and then we will be able to pave that bumpy park road! We will also be replacing the exercise equipment thanks to a grant from the health department.
Don’t forget to visit the new playground at A.W. Stanley Park down the road as well - thanks to a special donation from the Stanley Park Trust fund.
As you may have seen at our parks, we have updated our signage to create uniformity throughout the City. These signs are similar to the ones you’ll see at our schools. SignPro, Inc. did a fantastic job crafting these to match all of our original wayfinding signs seen all across town.
FYI: Funding is still available for homeowners interested in repairing the sidewalk in front of their property. This is a matching program and funding is limited. You can find out more information by contacting the Public Works Department at 860-826-3350.
Despite the challenging circumstances of the times, we are moving ahead with plenty of projects that will benefit both residents and business. We must continue to invest in our own City. As I have said before, developers are attracted to cities who are investing in themselves. It also creates for a better place for us all to live. We deserve the best New Britain, and our infrastructure improvements lead the way. Erin Stewart is the mayor of New Britain.

Newington on track to complete near $30 million renovation to town hall, community center
Erica Drzewiecki
NEWINGTON – The town is on track to complete its $28.8 million renovation to Town Hall and the Community Center this July.

Construction of the new facility has continued throughout the pandemic, since the project was already well underway when other activities were shut down. Town Manager Keith Chapman provided updates to Town Council at each of its regular meetings, indicating progress made ahead of an anticipated move-in sometime this July.
“We’re coming to the end of the road here; within the next month or so we should be moving into the new facility,” Chapman told councilors at their last meeting in June. “We’re still within budget and we look to be in good shape.”
Furniture to outfit department offices in the new building is on order; ceiling tiles are being installed and painting is ongoing. Landscaping of the property’s exterior is also being completed.
“A lot of offices are starting to pack up boxes to prepare for the move,” Mayor Beth DelBuono said of an observation she made on a recent visit to the existing town hall.
Located at 131 Cedar St., the old building is expected to be demolished by the end of 2020. The new address for Newington Town Hall and Community Center will be 200 Garfield St., the mayor indicated. Other facilities on the town’s main campus will also have new addresses later on this year: the Lucy Robbins Welles Library; 100 Garfield St., and the Newington Police Department, 300 Garfield St.
The original facility was built to face Cedar Street, but the former driveway has since been closed to thru traffic and Mazzoccoli Way, reconfigured.
Since town offices will be outfitted with new furniture, staff is still trying to decide what to do with the old furniture.
“The cost of moving the furniture is not worth the sale price for it,” the town manager said. “We’re trying to get rid of as much material as we can to those who need it the most.”
Donations have already benefitted the Newington Children’s Theatre Company, among other community groups.
Councilors have been meeting virtually since early April, working from their home offices and using digital meeting platforms for call-in public participation. Resident John Bachand called into their recent meeting to ask the body to consider a return to town hall since the governor is now allowing indoor gatherings with social-distancing.
“In response to John’s request for in-person meetings in the town hall building…I ask that we give it some consideration for what would actually be the last town council meeting in that building,” councilor Chris Miner said, suggesting the auditorium be used. “I think it would be a very nice thing to do, to get back in the building one last time and also meet in person again.”
Chapman told councilors he would consider one final meeting there this July, before the move takes place.
“I just want to make sure we stay safe,” he said. “Let me talk with the health director to figure it out.”
Mayor DelBuono asked that the option to participate virtually is provided to councilors or others as an alternative.

Submarine base embarks on latest energy project
Julia Bergman
The Naval Submarine Base has embarked on another project that according to commanding officer Capt. Todd Moore "will ensure reliable, cost-effective, and uninterrupted electric power" to support the base's dual mission of deploying combat-ready submarines and crews and training professional submariners.
Officials on Friday marked the start of construction of a 10.75 megawatt combined heat and power system to be installed at the base’s power plant, replacing the current system that has reached the end of its service life. In addition to generating electrical power, the new system will generate steam heat for “mission-critical" waterfront operations and training buildings.
The work is being performed through a 21-year, $169.3 million energy savings performance contract between the Navy and NORESCO, one of the largest energy services companies in the U.S.
The project increases energy efficiency on base through improved building heating and ventilation systems, efficient building lighting improvements and steam system improvements, achieving an average of about $10 million in annual energy savings, Moore said.
Energy expenses are the single largest cost for Navy installations, making up about 28% of installations' operating budgets. The cost savings anticipated through the contract can be used to support operations and improve the tactical performance of forces, Moore said.
He said the project also readies the base for a new, cybersecure microgrid, which will allow the base to generate its own electricity and will provide automated data gathering and precise peak demand control, but also allow the base to seamlessly disconnect from the utility grid and efficiently redirect power to areas where it is most needed.
Bob Ross, executive director of the state’s Office of Military Affairs, pointed out at Friday’s event that the site of the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new combined heat and power system was the same spot where on Sept 24, 2009, officials gathered to announce the first state-funded investment in the base: $7.65 million to support the construction a new Diver Support Facility at the base as well as modernizing a boiler at the base's power plant.
The state did not contribute to this project but since 2009 has invested in other projects to enhance the value of the base to prevent it from being targeted for closure or downsizing.
"The base looks so much different today than it did 11 years ago," Ross said. "A lot has changed in the world since we started. We're now talking about sea level rise, microgrids and resilient power. No one was talking about those things 11 years ago. It's nice to be in a place that's ready to respond as they become priorities in national defense."

Killingly Community Center’s fate in limbo as issues mount
John Penney
KILLINGLY – When one of the heaters recently stopped working in the Killingly Community Center’s gym, facility employees did an internet search in hopes of finding a replacement part.
“But the only place that showed up as having the part was an antiques museum, in the Midwest,” Recreation Director Tracy Mason said.
A lack of easily obtained replacement parts for needed repairs is just one issue plaguing the Broad Street center in Danielson, a building whose fate has been in limbo for years with no immediate solutions in sight.
The Town Council in March declined to move forward with a $16 million bonding proposal that, if approved by residents, would have shifted programming to the town’s former high school on Westfield Avenue and made any repair issues at the Broad Street site moot.
Town Manager Mary Calorio said council members were leery of approving two large bonding packages – the council eventually approved a $16 million Killingly Memorial School upgrade plan – in the same year.
“The idea is to bring the issue back up in a year or two,” she said. “But more than half of that community center bonding was to make improvements to the Westfield building’s roof, security, windows and other items that need to get done before it can be used for recreation. The estimates are the price of that work will increase 5% every year going forward. So, what was a $16 million bond will likely be $17 million next year and close to $18 million the year after.”
In an attempt to keep the current facility running, Calorio proposed including $100,000 in the 2020-21 budget for an engineering and evaluation study aimed at pinpointing what work would be needed to keep the center’s doors open, at least for the next few years.
“That money did not survive the budget process,” she said. “Instead, $50,000 was directed to be taken out of the town’s contingency fund for any emergency repairs that might need to be handled this year.”
The center, built in the mid-1900s, still has most of its original, single-paned windows whose lack of efficiency forces employees to plug gaps with towels and blankets in the winter. Many of the facility’s rooms with high ceilings are cooled – poorly – by window-mounted air-conditioning units, and a cooling system dedicated to the theater area is on its last legs.
“Without air-conditioning in that theater, it’ll be very uncomfortable for people to keep using that space, which is used for productions and senior movies,” Mason said. “We’ll continue to work with what we’ve been dealt, but at some point we may have to modify or scale-back our programming here.”
Conversations on how to best address the center have cropped up frequently in the last decade, though without any hard movement.
A November 2018 feasibility study found several issues plaguing the Broad Street site, including a building “not adequate for large events and fully scheduled times.” The center’s infrastructure was judged to be in sound condition, though its original incarnation as a former school means its floor plan largely consists of utility and small storage rooms rather than program-friendly spaces.
The center’s gym was deemed undersized and not handicap-accessible, while security features needed upgrades and jumping and other impacts cause continual vibration problems.
The study offered several suggestions, including a $27 million build-as-new option complete with indoor soccer fields that received a lukewarm reception from officials. A $21.3 million plan to renovate the current center was also offered.
Council members in January 2019 approved exploring a $7-9 million upgrade plan – one that ultimately fizzled - that also called for making bare-bones repairs to the Broad Street building that offers space to the Retired Seniors and Volunteer Program overseen by the Thames Valley Council for Community Action and the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse group.
Several council members previously said they hoped to use anticipated money from a community development benefit agreement with power plant developer NTE to cover some center upgrades, though no firm discussions have been held on what portion of that $4 million might be drawn on.
“The issues at the center aren’t going to improve in the coming years,” Calorio said. “So right now we need to decide what we need to do to keep those doors open, understanding that no one wants to heavily invest in a building we might eventually stop using.”

 

CT Construction Digest Thursday 25, 2020

New Britain receives nearly $3 million for street, sidewalk, other improvements
Ciara Hooks
NEW BRITAIN – Mayor Erin Stewart announced Wednesday the city has received $2.97 million from Connecticut Department of Transportation through the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program.

The $2,976,000 will be used for Phase VIII work of the city’s Complete Streets Masterplan. Phase VIII involves making roadway improvements to areas of Chestnut Street, Columbus Boulevard and Washington Street, which are all major gateways into downtown. These roads, however, present challenging pedestrian and bicycle environments with high traffic volumes, high speeds, long intersection crossing distances and the lack of other pedestrian needs, so many of these issues will be addressed during this phase.
The new improvements include the paving of the roadways, adding traffic calming measures such as the reduction of travel lanes in some areas, new drainage, granite curbing, the addition of new brick paver sidewalks where they currently don’t exist (such as the north side of Columbus Boulevard), the replacement of deteriorated sidewalks, ADA upgrades and new vegetative landscaping.
“This project builds on our work to create more transit oriented development opportunities by increasing access to underutilized land and builds upon other recently completed investments such as the Beehive Bridge and the other downtown complete streets phases,” Stewart said.
The city will be replacing the traffic signal at the intersection of Columbus Boulevard and Chestnut Street and it will be tied into the city’s new centrally-controlled coordinated signal system that allows for remote changes to maximize traffic operations.
The Washington Street bridge crossing over Route 72 will have the sidewalks reconstructed and the bridge rail will be removed and replaced with a new decorative rail to match adjacent projects recently constructed. In addition, there is a proposal for a multi-use trail on the north side of Columbus Boulevard, which requires taking approximately 10,000 square feet of state owned property along Route 72. The trail will end on Main Street south of the Beehive Bridge and is envisioned to be part of a 4.5 mile gap closure to connect with the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.
“The work will also increase pedestrian access to and from the downtown CTfastrak station,” Stewart said.
The city is looking to start construction beginning in 2021 as the design phase for the work is just getting underway.
“I’d like to personally thank Commissioner Joseph Giulietti and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their support of this project,” Stewart said. “It is important to note that the grant funds 100 percent of the project and there is no city match required.”

Demolition of New London’s Crystal Avenue high-rises on the horizon
Greg Smith
New London — An environmental consultant is preparing cost estimates for the demolition of the vacant high-rise apartment buildings on Crystal Avenue, a precursor to the cleanup and marketing of the long-troubled site.
Consulting firm Tighe & Bond finished up an environmental assessment of the former Thames River Apartments earlier this month. Renaissance City Development Association Executive Director Peter Davis said that while there are known pollutants on site, such as asbestos, PCBs and lead, the samples tested were below the threshold that would have required the federal Environmental Protection Agency to get involved.
“They didn’t find anything that surprised them,” he said.
It means that on the regulatory side, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will be the agency involved in ensuring upcoming remediation work is compliant with environmental regulations.
Tighe & Bond is now compiling its findings to be used in a request for proposals for demolition of the buildings and remediation of hazardous materials. Davis said there is an urgency to the matter, since the vacant former apartment complex remains a liability the city wants removed as quickly as possible. The timeline remains unknown, though Mayor Michael Passero has expressed his desire to see the buildings gone by the end of the year.
The city bought the property for $185,000 from the New London Housing Authority in 2019 after a joint effort to move out the residents because of deteriorating conditions and a long-pending lawsuit calling for action. The 124 units were federally subsidized and housed very low-income families, the only such complex of its kind in the city. With approval and support from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the residents were issued Section 8 vouchers to seek private housing elsewhere. The last one moved out in August 2018.
The city gained a $2 million commitment from the state to fund the demolition and turn what was historically a tax-exempt property into a tax generator. The city has rezoned the site for commercial and industrial use. At one point the city had courted the Connecticut Port Authority for use of the 12-acre site property, but the port authority never agreed to pay taxes.
The parking lot of the Crystal Avenue high-rises, meanwhile, is expected to once again become the home for a fleet of buses servicing the New London School District. The city is working out an agreement with the schools to allow First Student to move in as early as Aug. 1.
Felix Reyes, the director of the city’s Office of Development and Planning, said the city continued to work with the school district to find a cost-effective, long-term solution to housing the buses in the city.
Other options are being explored, such as creating a bus terminal on city grounds or leasing from a private entity. Both options are cost-prohibitive for the school district, he said.
“Keeping them at the high-rises buys us a bit of time to do more long-term planning to put them in a permanent location,” Reyes said. “This provides an almost zero cost solution. It’s a way to work together and save taxpayers and the Board of Education a significant amount of money.”
The buses were parked at the high school but construction work is expected to start there this summer.
Reyes said the city is earning tax revenue with the buses being registered in the city, and that is one reason, among others, to keep them in New London.
“At some point they will have to move somewhere else ... and not continue to play musical chairs,” he said.

Even at higher cost, East Lyme police station plan makes sense
The Day Editorial Board            
We’re glad to hear East Lyme will hold a referendum to seek voter approval to bond an added $2.17 million to properly renovate the former Honeywell building as the new home for the town's police department.
In February 2019, voters overwhelmingly approved $5 million to buy the building at 277 West Main St. and undertake the necessary renovations. A subsequent architectural assessment, however, cast serious doubts on the feasibility of getting the job done at that cost. Debate over the handling of the plan got wrapped into the 2019 election, in which Republican First Selectman Mark Nickerson was facing re-election. He won.
A town meeting could have technically sufficed to act on the additional allocation, but that is impractical given the continuing need to social distance during the ongoing pandemic. The Board of Selectmen could have used the pandemic, and the governor’s executive orders, to skip a vote altogether. But given the questions and controversies — and the importance of this project — it is only right to bring it to a town-wide vote.
Nickerson expects a vote to take place toward the end of July. Doing it safely will be a challenge. We urge the widespread use of mail-in ballots such as Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is proposing for the Aug. 11 primary and the general election.
The police station plan is still a good one, even with the added costs. The current Main Street station used by police is in deplorable condition and far below the standards expected of a modern public safety building. Building a new station could cost $12 million or more. And starting the process over would delay the opening of a new police station for years. Town discussions and debates over how to properly house their police go back to the mid-1980s.
Some of the increase in cost is due to amenities not included in the original $5 million project presented to voters and some results because the original estimate was unrealistic.
An elevator will be installed now, during renovations, which makes sense from a cost and planning perspective. That will open the second floor to other town uses, not yet defined. The renovated building will have a sally port and holding cells. To keep construction costs down, the town could keep contracting with Waterford for the use of its cells. But it makes no sense to open a new police station without a place to hold suspects, and it never did.
A Public Safety Building Vision Committee set aside politics in carefully evaluating the project and producing the recommendations for supplying a fully functional police facility and getting necessary renovations done now.
The renovated building will also house the fire marshal’s office and dispatch services.
Some skepticism among the townspeople is understandable. After all, they approved a project at one price and are now being asked to ante up more.
Nickerson only fed that skepticism in sticking to his position that the project could be built as planned, even when the architectural estimates provided after the referendum showed it could not, at least not if the town wanted to do it right.
“It will be done on budget. I’m very confident in that,” Nickerson said when asked about the potential price tag during his October debate with Democratic challenger Camille Alberti.
That was the political answer. A forthright answer would have been an assurance that the administration would do its best to stay within the amount approved by voters, while conceding that it might not be possible given updated estimates.
The first selectman’s insistence then that the project would stay within budget contributes to the bait-and-switch feeling among some townspeople.
Still, Nickerson led the effort to finally get local police a facility they deserve and, even with these additional costs, it is a fiscally sound project that voters should again back.

 

CT Construction Digest Wednesday June 24, 2020

Metro-North: Walk Bridge opening could cause train delays
Jim Shay
Metro-North said there could be some delays on the New Haven Line Tuesday morning if there are problems with closing the Walk Bridge.
“An opening of the Walk Bridge, in the vicinity of South Norwalk Station, is scheduled for 11:00 AM today. This opening could cause delays of 20-25 minutes,” the railroad said.
The 124-year-old bridge has had problems in the past with openings and closings.
Between 2018 and February 2019, there were 139 openings and 16 failures to properly close.
The bridge which carries the New Haven Line Railroad over the Norwalk River is a truss swing bridge with three fixed spans and one movable span. Total length is 565 feet.The total cost of the Walk Bridge project including design, rights of way, construction and program management is approximately $1.2 billion.

Stonington approves $10 million in sewer system repairs
Joe Wojtas           
Stonington — Board of Finance members on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to bond $10 million to pay for what town officials say are critical repairs to the town’s three sewer plants and 17 pumping stations.
While taxpayers typically would have voted on the bond at referendum, that vote was replaced by a Board of Finance approval due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An executive order by Gov. Ned Lamont has allowed municipalities to make such decisions without town meeting or referendum votes.
The tax increase due to the bond for the owner of a median priced — $318,000 — home, will be $21 a year over the 20-year life of the bond, beginning with the 2021-22 budget.
Water Pollution Control Authority members have said the system is at a point where equipment is failing and more problems are expected. These would not only be costly but could result in the town violating its discharge permits and the state issuing fines and ordering the town to make repairs. Failures also could pose environmental threats to the Mystic River, Pawcatuck River and Stonington Harbor.
Before Tuesday’s vote, First Selectman Danielle Chesebrough said town officials did not make the costly decision lightly. She said the operation of the sewer system impacts the local economy, keeps the waterways clean and protects recreational activities such as fishing and shellfishing.
She pointed out that during a virtual public hearing on the bond earlier this month, 14 people or organizations submitted letters in favor of the bonding, while one letter came from a resident who suggested the town look at an alternative way to finance the work.
Before the vote, finance board member Mike Fauerbach said that while the town cannot afford to have its sewer infrastructure fail, the $10 million in repairs are not the long-term solution to addressing the town’s three old sewer treatment plants. In 2010, town residents approved an $18.3 million plan to upgrade the three plants.
“We need to spend the time and money on exploring the feasibility of consolidating our facilities (into a single plant),” he said.
The town has studied the issue in the past, and finance board member Lynn Young, who also serves on the Water Pollution Control Authority, said Tuesday that $700,000 is set to be allocated in the third year of the bond to create a facilities plan that would look at options for the future, such as a new plant.
In 2002, the WPCA recommended residents approve a $37 million plan to build a single plant, behind Stonington High School, to serve the entire town. In 2005, the WPCA withdrew the plan following opposition from residents.

Rubber Avenue construction project moving ahead despite delay
ANDREAS YILMA
NAUGATUCK — The Rubber Avenue reconstruction project is moving ahead, though the start of construction has been pushed back to next year.
The project will reconstruct about two-thirds of a mile of Rubber Avenue from the intersection of Melbourne and Hoadley streets to Elm Street. The construction will include drainage improvements, and new sidewalks and landscaping along the road.
Improvements will also be made to a section of Aetna Street, said Lisa Slonus, a professional engineer with the firm Weston & Sampson, during a June 17 virtual informational meeting on the project.
Construction had been planned for the start of this year. Public Works Director James Stewart said state reviews were delayed and utility work had to be done before the work can start, pushing construction back. Officials are aiming to start work by next summer and hope to finish most of the construction in one season, he said.
As part of the project, the four-way intersection of Rubber Avenue and Meadow and Cherry streets will be replaced with a “modern roundabout.”
“This is not to be confused with a traffic circle or a big rotary with high speeds. In general, it creates safer speeds based on the geometry of the approach island and the roundabout itself,” Slonus said. “It forces people to slow down as they approach it. You’re eliminating many conflicts. When I say conflicts, I mean the potential for a crash between vehicle and vehicle, or vehicle and pedestrian.”The preliminary design calls for a one-lane roundabout that is 120 feet in diameter with a raised island in the center.
“We expect it’s going to improve the safety of both cars and the pedestrians as well as improve traffic flow,” said Stewart.
The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments is coordinating the project. The construction cost is estimated at $4.8 million. The project is expected to be funded through the state Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program, with the borough paying about $250,000 for design costs.
Stewart said the borough’s share will be paid through its five-year capital bond.
The preliminary design work is finished, officials said. Work is underway on the final design phase, which includes looking at more detailed design and drainage, and landscape details. The final design phase is expected to be finished later this year, according to Slonus.
Officials are waiting for the state to commit the funds for the project.
Karen Svetz, regional transportation engineer with the NVCOG, said there will be funding for the work.
“We’re just going through the formalities to get the funds secured right now, and the (Department of Transportation) has been involved right from the get-go,” Svetz said. “There’s no question that the project will be funded.”
The DOT is involved with the review and the design, and is expected to complete an administrative review of the project this winter, officials said. After officials get the final approval from DOT, the borough will seek bids on the project.

CT Construction Digest Tuesday June 23, 2020

New London and Connecticut Port Authority again at odds on funding
Greg Smith
New London — The Connecticut Port Authority is seeking a home for two soon-to-be displaced commercial fishermen at State Pier and is considering using $3 million promised by Danish wind giant Ørsted to fund the move.
Mayor Michael Passero says that’s a problem since the money was committed to the city specifically for infrastructure upgrades at the pier at Fort Trumbull that the city now leases to New London Seafood and is home to its own commercial fishing operation.
The $3 million in question, which Ørsted has not yet delivered, was originally committed to New London by Deepwater Wind, a company later bought by Ørsted. Ørsted has agreed to honor Deepwater’s commitment.
Passero said the money was committed to the city while Deepwater Wind was seeking a state investment into offshore wind power through a bid with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.
David Kooris, the authority's interim chairman, informed the board at its meeting last week that the money could help solve the problem of relocating the commercial fishermen.
Passero said he expects no state involvement in the use of that money.
“It’s not their money. What they’re basically talking about is using that money to solve a problem at State Pier — their problem,” Passero said.
Passero has been frustrated about New London being sidelined from discussions surrounding the $157 million development of State Pier into an offshore wind hub and a lack of a substantial state funding commitment to offset costs of hosting a massive offshore wind facility that does not pay taxes. State Pier is located on land formerly owned by the state and recently transferred to the Connecticut Port Authority.
Tenants at State Pier, including two commercial fishing outfits, are being displaced to make way for the start of construction. Hazardous materials abatement work and dismantling of structures at the site has begun in anticipation of demolition activities.
The fishermen have until July 31 to move out and Passero has previously called on the state to fund their move, offering the city’s waterfront as a possible spot to build docks for the fishing boats.
The fishermen have talked about the possibility of moving to Fort Trumbull but there does not appear to be any ongoing talks.Kooris said the authority last week voted to approve an extension of a contract with AECOM, which is performing permitting and pre-development work at State Pier.
AECOM’s scope of work included “the assessment of multiple locations in the harbor (including the pier at Fort Trumbull) that could be improved to meet the needs of commercial fishermen,” Kooris said in an email.
Once the study is completed, Kooris said, “we can have a conversation of what should get built.”
The Connecticut Port Authority hasn't taken any vote on use of the $3 million, Kooris said, “because it's not ours and we don't control how it's expended.”
The state Department of Economic and Community Development manages the process of ensuring that Orsted meets the commitments made by Deepwater Wind as part of its successful bids to DEEP and its PURA approvals.
“That said, we don't think it makes sense to have independent conversations about how — on the one hand — improvements should be made in NL harbor to benefit commercial fishing with that $3 (million) and — on the other hand — the location where these two fishermen should be relocated,” Kooris said in his email.
“We should have a single conversation about physical enhancements for the benefit of commercial fishing in NL harbor and where these boats end up should certainly be part of that conversation,” he said.

New Britain developer adds 20 downtown apartments
Joe Cooper
New Britain developer has completed a 20-unit apartment conversion of downtown’s historic Andrews building.
Avner Krohn, owner of Jasko Development LLC, in an interview said his firm recently finished a year-long redevelopment of the upper four floors of the 28,473-square-foot building at 132 Main St.
Krohn declined to disclose the total cost of the “multimillion-dollar” renovation project, which he said was spurred by state historic tax credits. He acquired the property in 2005, and had previously been using the building’s upper floors as office space.
The office-to-apartment conversion adds 20, one-bedroom apartments to New Britain's steadily growing downtown corridor, Krohn said. Several leases have already been signed for a variety of one-bedroom layouts sized 500 square feet to 700 square feet. The first tenants will begin occupancy in early July.
The market-rate units, he estimated, are roughly 20% to 30% cheaper than comparable spaces in Hartford and other nearby towns.
“New Britain can really use market-rate housing downtown,” said Krohn, whose firm has now redeveloped three historic properties downtown. “There is definitely a large demand.”
Krohn said renovation work continues on 6,000 square feet of ground-level and basement commercial space that will be suited for either one large tenant or divided between several. Commercial leases are currently being negotiated with a handful prospective tenants, but Krohn said that process has been slowed due to COVID-19-related hiccups.
“We feel that downtown is lacking and needs additional restaurants and bars,” Krohn said. “With approximately 200 apartments coming on market [downtown] in the next year, we feel that for success, the ground floor retail is going to be essential for people being comfortable living and playing in the same location.”
Krohn said Jasko fully gutted the historic property, built in 1903, but was still able to maintain décor that dates back to the early 1900s. That includes preserving original hardwood flooring and crown molding in hallways. Black and white marble flooring in the atrium, and windows mirroring the building’s original style, was also installed to add features reminiscent of the Prohibition era.

Units are also equipped with keyless entry and lighting systems that can be managed from a smartphone.

“We tried to bring the building into the 2020 era with the newest technology available,” Krohn said.
In a statement, Mayor Erin Stewart applauded Jasko's commitment to maintaining and improving historical properties downtown.
“With the opening of Columbus Commons and these new beautiful apartments, close to 100 new housing units have been added to downtown New Britain," Stewart said.
Jasko is wrapping up the New Britain conversion project as it's also looking to build a 111-unit multi-family housing development on vacant Bloomfield land.

In recent years, the firm has been actively building medical, retail and other multi-family sites in New Britain, Meriden, Bristol, Torrington and Enfield, among other towns in Connecticut. Krohn expects that momentum to continue.

“We have our eyes on additional possible projects in the core of downtown and its neighboring locations,” he said.